Award Abstract # 2051120
REU SITE: Assessment and sustainable management of ecosystem at the nexus of food, energy, and water systems

NSF Org: DBI
Division of Biological Infrastructure
Recipient: UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
Initial Amendment Date: February 1, 2021
Latest Amendment Date: October 7, 2024
Award Number: 2051120
Award Instrument: Standard Grant
Program Manager: Deana Erdner
derdner@nsf.gov
 (703)292-2053
DBI
 Division of Biological Infrastructure
BIO
 Directorate for Biological Sciences
Start Date: March 1, 2021
End Date: February 28, 2025 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $387,283.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $432,083.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2021 = $432,083.00
History of Investigator:
  • Michelle Evans-White (Principal Investigator)
    mevanswh@uark.edu
  • Marty Matlock (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Kusum Naithani (Former Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: University of Arkansas
1125 W MAPLE ST STE 316
FAYETTEVILLE
AR  US  72701-3124
(479)575-3845
Sponsor Congressional District: 03
Primary Place of Performance: University of Arkansas
601 SCEN, 850 W Dickson St.
Fayetteville
AR  US  72701-3124
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
03
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): MECEHTM8DB17
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s): RSCH EXPER FOR UNDERGRAD SITES,
Cross-BIO Activities
Primary Program Source: 01002122DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
Program Reference Code(s): 9250, 108Z, 102Z
Program Element Code(s): 113900, 727500
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.074

ABSTRACT

This REU Site award to the University of Arkansas, located in Fayetteville, AR, will support the training of 10 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2021- 2023. It is anticipated that a total of 30 students, primarily identifying as American Indian and other under-represented groups, will be trained in the program; many of these students will come from schools with limited research opportunities. Students will participate in structured lectures combined with computer programming workshops using R, laboratory and field research. They will attend seminars and other events featuring professionals in sustainability fields, and cultural enrichment activities that emphasize the process of science, the ethic of sustainability, sustainability of food, water, and energy systems, and the cultural connections of ecology and sustainability with tribal traditions. Students will develop and complete an independent research project with the aid of their mentor(s), attend and present at a professional meeting, and complete a manuscript. Student program assessment will be completed using the online SALG URSSA tool. Students will be tracked after the program to determine their career paths using Facebook, LinkedIn, and other web resources.

The objective of this REU program is to provide an integrated research experience focusing on sustainable management of ecosystem services at the nexus of food, energy, and water, primarily for American Indian undergraduates and those from other under-represented groups in STEM. The goal is for students and an interdisciplinary group of faculty mentors from three colleges to explore sustainable management of provisioning services across landscapes and cultural traditions. Research projects focus on effects of food and energy life cycles on water quantity and quality, integrated with tribal management of ecosystem services. Classroom activities include computer programming workshops, scientific communication, and cultural enrichment activities that emphasize the ethics and the cultural connections of ecology with tribal traditions. Undergraduate students who are interested in doing research about environmental systems or sustainability are encouraged to apply. More information about the program is available by visiting http://ecoreu.uark.edu, or by contacting the PI (Dr. Michelle Evans-White at mevanswh@uark.edu) or the co-PIs (Dr. Marty Matlock at matlock@uark.edu or Dr. Kusum Naithani at kusum@uark.edu).

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH

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Yerdon, Gabriel L and Royal, Ethan J and Kross, Chelsea S and Willson, John D "Effects of Prairie Degradation and Restoration on Box Turtle Thermal Ecology" Journal of herpetology , v.5 , 2023 Citation Details

PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT

Disclaimer

This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.

Overview:

The goal of this REU site award to the University of Arkansas, located in Fayetteville, AR (EcoREU: Assessment and sustainable management of ecosystem services at the nexus of food, energy, and water systems) was for students and faculty mentors to explore sustainable management of ecosystem services at the nexus of food, energy, and water systems across landscapes and cultural traditions. The EcoREU program supported the training of a total of 30 undergraduate students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2020-2024. The site also supported one research experience for a post-baccalaureate (REP). Students first participated in a one-week orientation to the University of Arkansas and the EcoREU program followed by eight weeks of research experience that culminated in an oral presentation at the EcoREU Expo and a student-sourced manuscript. Further, students participated in structured lectures ranging from scientific ethics, computer programming, proposal writing, and graduate school preparation during the 10-week program. They attended seminars and informal dinners featuring professionals in sustainability fields, and cultural enrichment activities that emphasize the process of science, the ethic of sustainability, sustainability of food, water, and energy systems, and the cultural connections of ecology and sustainability with tribal traditions by a case study of the Tar Creek Superfund site and its effects on Native communities in the Tri-State Mining district.

Intellectual Merit:

Ecosystem services are critical for economic, social and ecological sustainability. Students selected and designed research projects that, together, integrated the breadth of ecosystem services sustainability in food, energy, and water systems. Ecological services are a human construct; therefore, socio-economic considerations were also explored in this program. Field trips to the Tar Creek Superfund site near Quapaw and interaction with Native citizens via trips to museums and pow wows enhance the cultural relevance of the research experience. Students also developed a deeper understanding of the opportunities and challenges of sustainable ecosystem management for tribal nations and US citizens. Further, they learn how to think and work like a scientist and gain personal confidence in their scientific abilities and skill by the end of the program. In most years (2021-2024), students presented posters at the Arkansas Water Resources Center annual meeting of water resource stakeholders and professionals; approximately 23 posters were presented for the duration of the award at this meeting and other national science meetings. Further, two participants co-authored peer-reviewed publications resulting from the REU experience.

Broader Impacts:

The UA EcoREU program has had a broad impact on student career trajectories. Students have been tracked after the program to determine their career paths using Facebook, LinkedIn, and other web resources focused on cohorts 2021 and 2022 (n=17); the majority of cohorts 2023 and 2024 are still undergraduates. Approximately 24% of the 2021-22 participants are in or have completed graduate school.  Our REP is also in graduate school and has almost completed a master’s program in biology at the University of Arkansas.  Approximately 11% went directly into environmental science careers after graduating, and 11% acquired engineering positions after graduation. Another 12% are in STEM education careers.  Approximately 12% remain undergraduates and 29% are unaccounted for.  All in all, approximately 59% have gone on to successful STEM careers.

 


Last Modified: 06/21/2025
Modified by: Michelle A Evans-White

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